Meet Me There Tomorrow
by Caullie
Summary: Eren is handed over to the Military Police instead of the Survey Corps. As their captive he is treated as less than a monster and the horrors he faces leave him broken and afraid to trust. Levi and the scouts work tirelessly to save him. When they get Eren back he's haunted but Levi finds he'll do anything to reignite the flame in the young man's eyes.
1. Chapter 1

Notes:

Hello! I was completely not sure if I should post this or not. I've resisted writing SNK fanfiction for so long but I decided why the hell not. I just really had a few ideas floating around in my head that wouldn't leave me alone. I apologize in advance for what I'm sure is going to be a ridiculously self indulgent fic in which I weave in everything I've ever wanted to see in a Riren fic ever. I'm a huge slut for hurt/comfort so there will be a lot of hurt and a lot of comfort in this fic. Eren is my favorite character and I just love how strong he is and how resilient he is. He is not the most naturally talented, smartest or strongest, but he is a fighter and ridiculously determined in everything he does. He gives 1000% effort on everything whether its fighting titans or being a friend. I am also a huge slut for everyone adoring and being protective of Eren because he is kind of an idiot with the best intentions and he's always off getting into trouble because he refuses to stay silent if he sees a shitty situation.

I'm also terribly sorry for that shitty ass summary. I have no idea what to write lol. This is my first actual attempt at writing a fanfic even though my whole life is basically reading fanfics XD. I'm super nervous about everyone yelling at me and hating my fic so please be gentle it's my first time. OTL

Also Nile Dok is the main villain in this. I didn't really know who else to make it so I hope everyone's okay with that because that's what it is lol.

Trigger Warning: There will be scenes of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I will make sure to put adequate warnings before these scenes so that they will be skippable if you want to skip them. This is not going to be one of those fanfics though where Eren's abused but then Levi's dick magically heals everything and he's super fine after that. It will be about rebuilding trust and re-establishing a sense of security and self. It will be a journey for everyone involved.

* * *

 **Eren's POV**

Eren blinked, slowly regaining consciousness. The grey stone walls around him slowly came into focus.

'Where am... I?' he thought to himself. His body ached and felt heavy. Eren opened his mouth to speak and the effort was so great he was almost immediately exhausted. His mind was like a hazy cloud and his body felt almost as if it was disconnected from himself. For the life of him he couldn't remember how or why he was in the situation he found himself in.

Eren moved to reach up to rub at his still bleary eyes and found that he couldn't.

With something of a jolt he realized that his wrists were shackled together and pulled loosely over his head. He tugged weakly at his restraints and hissed lightly as the sharp metal dug into his skin. The shock of finding himself restrained coursed through his mind in a muted sluggish fashion but it was enough to prompt him to shake his head and attempt to better take in his surroundings.

It was then that he noticed there were shackles around his ankles as well. He was sitting upon what appeared to be a bed and in a cell like room that was similar to the one he had been held in before the trial.

...The trial.. The trial! That's right. Eren blinked and attempted to grab hold of the tendrils of memories that seemed to be taunting him by lying just outside of his reach. He was focusing so hard on trying to grasp the flashes of memories that he failed to hear the door to his cell open.

"So you're awake then Mr. Jaeger."

Eren's head snapped up at the sound of his name, though his skin crawled at the tone in the stranger's voice. His bright green eyes met cold black ones and a chill ran down his spine. This man was no stranger he realized as the memories from a few hours previous suddenly flooded back to him.

 _6 hours earlier..._

 _Eren barely heard the angry words that were pouring from his mouth. He couldn't stop them any more than he could stop the rain from falling or the sun from shining. That was just who he was - too much passion and determination and not nearly enough thought before he acted. It was those bastards' fault though, really. They had the nerve to bring his sister into this and dared to imply that she was a monster like him?! These pieces of shit who sat comfortably behind their walls while those less privileged died so they could have their safety and their luxuries... it was just despicable and Eren had never been one to stay silent in the face of any sort of injustice._

 _He jerked at the restraints that bound his arms behind his back and looked around at his audience with wide, wild eyes. He took in the shocked faces of the people around him as his angry words continued to spill from his mouth. It wasn't until he caught sight of the commander of the Military Police, Nile Dok, that his words died in his throat._

 _Without breaking eye contact with Eren, Nile began to speak._

 _"I think that this is an adequate display of why Mr. Jaeger should be handed over to the Military Police. He is obviously volatile and unable to control even his human instincts. There is no saying what kind of havoc he could wreck in his human form. As he is, he is nothing but a threat to humanity..."_

 _Eren's mind processed the other man's words but there was something in Nile's expression that silenced any arguments that he might have said. He could almost feel Nile's black beady eyes as they raked over his form in a way that made him desperately wish he wasn't on his knees. A terrible apprehension that he didn't quite understand curled to life and settled heavily in his stomach._

 _"After what we have seen and heard today, it is ridiculous to even consider handing him over to the Scout Regiment where countless lives will no doubt be lost gambling on this boy on the off chance that he might not be a threat. However, we in the Military Police do recognize the scientific value of being able to study his kind..." Nile was continuing to appeal to the now silent court, "After a thorough examination of his body..."_

 _It was here that Eren's skin crawled and he fought the instinct to curl into himself at the leer the other man sent his way._

 _"We will ensure that Eren Jaeger will no longer prove to be a threat to humanity." Nile's words held an air of finality and as he finished the crowd broke out into murmurs and not so silent cries of agreement._

 _The rest of the trial was a blur. Eren barely heard the counter arguments from the other factions. Commander Erwin gave a convincing argument but it seemed that Nile had already swayed the crowd as well as the judge._

 _"The final verdict is as follows. Custody of Eren Jaeger will immediately be handed over to the Military Police, with Nile Dok serving as his direct guardian."_

 _Eren felt like he had been punched in the stomach as all the air left his lungs. He couldn't stop the fear from showing in his eyes as he was forcibly led over to Nile and his group of Military Police. His eyes widened and he felt suddenly nauseous as he took in their over eager stares._

 _"Eren! Eren, No! Let me go! EREN!" It was Mikasa's furious screams that broke him out of his haze and he tore his gaze away from his captors, searching frantically for his sister. Mikasa and Armin were both fighting as hard as they could to get to him, and it took several scouts putting in all their effort to restrain them both._

 _"Eren we won't leave you with those bastards!" Armin screamed, his blue eyes were angry and horrified._

 _"Mikasa! Armin!" Eren cried out but was powerless to close the distance between himself and his most precious people._

 _Rough hands gripped his shoulders and propelled him forward. His legs locked in panic and he was forced to stumble forward._

 _"Say good bye to your little friends Jaeger." A cruel voice whispered in his ear. Nile's mouth was so close to his face that he could feel the other man's hot breath on his neck and his cheek._

 _"No! Eren!" It was Mikasa again._

 _There was a sharp pain in his neck as a syringe was emptied into his veins. Almost instantly his vision became blurry. The last thing he saw as he locked back toward his friends were his childhood heroes. Commander Erwin and Captain Levi. Especially him... Captain Levi. Eren caught the Levi's gaze and as he looked into those steel grey eyes, it was like time stood still. A yearning so strong and so sudden burst forth in his chest, and just as suddenly his vision faded to black. The last thing he remembered was that slight look of concern in Levi's piercing grey eyes._


	2. Chapter 2

**Eren's POV**

Eren started visibly as Commander Dok was suddenly beside him. A cruel and amused laugh drifted down to his ears.

"Please do take it easy Mr. Jaeger. You should be feeling a bit sluggish until the drug we gave you wears off. I must apologize about that as we weren't sure exactly which dosage to give a titan." Nile said not sounding the least bit apologetic at all.

Eren grit his teeth in anger and mustered up the strength to glare up at the asshole in front of him.

"Fuck... you..." He ground out. The effort of speaking was almost too much and all of his efforts were only rewarded by another cruel chuckle.

Niles reached forward and grabbed his chin forcing him to look up at him.

"Those are awfully brave words for a silly little boy who is completely at my mercy." The older's words sent chills down his spine, but Eren refused to be cowed and only increased the intensity of his glare. Nile smirked and released the grip he had on his chin though Eren continued to watch him with wary eyes.

"Believe me, I am fully aware that you are no threat to humanity. I've heard the reports of your titan slaying in your titan form. And even then, I could see your foolish pure-hearted intentions with just one glance into your big pretty eyes. Unfortunately for you, it was probably those big pretty eyes that made me notice you. And I was definitely not the only one in the courtroom today who looked at you with less than pure intentions... I saw the other hungry looks that damn near everyone in that room was sending you. And how could they not? With such a pretty little thing bent over and on your knees like that."

Eren hated the blush that he knew was sure to be coating his cheeks upon hearing those disgusting words. But even more than that he hated the way in which Nile watched him and seemed to take pleasure in his discomfort. Nile circled around to the other side of his bed and his eyes had the feel of a predator taunting its prey.

"To have something so young, so beautiful and so fiery at my mercy... well, it was then I knew I had to have you." Eren could not repress the shudder that shook his thin frame as the older man leaned forward any more than he could hide the look of naked shock and horror on his face.

"Oh please, don't look so shocked. I am a man in a position of great power who takes what he wants. Yes, we do have scientists who are eager to learn what they can from your body, and so they shall... but I have much more satisfying uses for your body as well."

He ran a deceptively gentle hand down the length of Eren's shackled arm, who tensed instantly in revulsion.

"Come now Eren, surely you are not so naive..." taking pleasure in the horrified expression of the boy in front of him, Nile continued though he began to retreat out of the room, "oh you are? How delectable then... Don't worry, I'll be seeing you very soon."

Eren growled at his exiting form as speaking at the moment was impossible. Fear twisted in his stomach at the sound of that sick promise. He could only watch, furious at his helplessness, as Nile left.

"We will move out within the hour. Keep an eye on him but do not touch him. He is mine to break first. You stupid dogs will get your turn." Eren paled at his words as Nile gave instructions to the two guards outside his door. He sunk down in his chains and refused to meet the unmasked looks of eagerness that the guards were sending him. Exhausted and afraid it took only moments for unconsciousness to overcome him.

* * *

 **Levi's POV**

"Well that did not go as planned." Hanji said, the irony at her understatement saturated her voice and weighed each word down with the severity of the situation.

"No shit." Levi scoffed, his arms crossed and angry over his torso. "Well obviously we can't leave him in the hands of those sick Military Police bastards." Levi sure as hell hadn't missed the leers Nile and his men had been sending the poor kid from the moment he had been herded into the courtroom.

"We won't be leaving him there." Erwin finally spoke up. His thick eyebrows were drawn together in thought.

The three of them each had only spent moments with the determined, green eyed young man but Levi could already see that somehow the kid had found himself a soft spot in Hanji and Erwin's hearts. He remembered those moments before Eren had passed out and how those expressive eyes had locked onto his. He remembered that determined voice that night in the dungeon that spoke of the kid's undying determination to fight for humanity and well fuck, maybe he'd developed the slightest soft spot for that brat as well.

"They're going to destroy him..." Hanji said softly shaking her head.

Levi locked eyes with Erwin who gave him a short nod and said, "Not if we can help it."

"Okay. Let's get him back."

They all had a lot riding on Eren Jaeger after all.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

I really wanted to get into some more about the relationship between the Shiganshina trio because I adore them and their relationship so much. I think it's so deep and incredible how much they care for each other and I want to expand on that more. In my head the three of them are very affectionate with each other both verbally and physically but only amongst the three of them. It is due to their being so close that there are no types of boundaries between them and growing up together. It's all platonic but it doesn't make it any less meaningful.  
Also being super self indulgent because I'm a huge fan of the idea of Mikasa and Armin being this team that works together to protect Eren without him noticing it because he's too busy being an angry puppy and yelling at people much bigger than him for being assholes.

* * *

 **Mikasa and Armin POV**

Everyone knew that Eren would do anything for Mikasa and Armin without hesitation. If you so much muttered something shitty under your breath about Mikasa, Eren would drop whatever he was doing to fight you no matter how much older or larger you might be. He had been sticking up for Armin against bullies since he could first throw a punch, and hell- he had dived head first into the mouth of a titan for his best friend. There was no questioning the ferocity of his loyalty or love for either of them. What was equally obvious but not as overstated was the fact that Mikasa and Armin were just as over protective, perhaps even more so, of Eren as well.

This was because as the years had passed Mikasa and Armin needed Eren's protection less and less, whereas it was Eren who needed theirs more- whether he knew it or not. Mikasa had grown into a strong and intimidating young woman. Just a single glance from her blank dark eyes was usually more than enough to stop anyone from even thinking about messing with her.

Armin, while still small in stature, had developed a quiet strength of his own. After the wall fell, this strength of his grew rapidly into an impressive barrier of mental fortification. He could fix you with an unwavering stare of warning that hinted of a cool intelligence and a promise that he was not to be messed with. He was quiet but Eren and Mikasa had witnessed him on more than one occasion reducing grown men to tears with only his words.

But Eren... somehow he had managed to retain his childhood trait of wearing his heart on his sleeve. At the slightest provocation or sense of injustice he would be off in a rage. His great big eyes, slender frame and ability to release the most angry and passionate words at the drop of a hat had the habit of attracting a lot of attention over the years. Another completely Eren trait was his total lack of both self awareness and self preservation. Both Armin and Mikasa knew that in Eren's head he was still the one who had saved Mikasa when they were 9 and that he was still Armin's ever vigilant defender against bullies. They loved him all the more for it, but it definitely didn't make their jobs any easier.

Eren honestly had no idea at all how attractive he was. He had no clue how breathtaking his big ocean eyes were or how lovely he looked when his lithe form was trembling from pent up rage. The idea that he was anything more than a shield for his loved ones or a determined soldier had simply never crossed his mind. But Mikasa and Armin had seen the way Eren's angry yells and ability to cause a scene had drawn the appreciative gazes of bystanders. The occurrence was frequent enough that the two of them had developed quite the protect-Eren-from-creepy-perverts system. Armin would calm Eren down and attempt to remove him from the situation and Mikasa would send silent threats to anyone that dared look at her brother the wrong way.

That was why it felt like their worst nightmares coming true when they saw the way Nile was leering at Eren that day in the courtroom. Mikasa already felt sick at the idea of those Military Police assholes poking and prodding at her brother like he was some type of experiment but it was those looks that had made her blood run cold.

The following days had been hell. The two of them were more attached at the hip than usual, but they looked strangely incomplete without Eren's mop of brown hair. Unsurprisingly, the two of them felt as incomplete as they looked. Each second that passed seemed like torture as they feared for Eren and the state he would be in when they got him back. When they got him back, because they would- no matter what. It was killing them to imagine Eren alone and afraid in the hands of those bastards who were obviously chomping at the bit to hurt him. They had worked so hard over the years to preserve the almost innocent fire of determination that burned so brightly inside of him. It was being threatened now and it was destroying them.

Mikasa thought back to those long nights when she was first getting adjusted to life at the Jaeger's. There were nights when she would wake up drenched in sweat with a scream caught in her throat. When the bloody images of that night- the death of her parents, what she had done- had forced their way into her dreams. She remembered how Eren would be there in an instant, awake and already crossing over to her bed to take her gently into his arms. He would wrap her scarf around her shoulders comfortingly and stroke her hair. He would spend hours at her bedside calming her and whispering soothing words. "It's over. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore, Mikasa, you're my sister now." He had said pulling her from the prison of her memories and reminding her that she still had family all at once.

Armin remembered the days when he was still being bullied. After Eren would fight them off no matter the odds, he could be battered, bruised and bleeding but he would never fail to sit down beside Armin and interlock their fingers. He would hug him even if it hurt him to do so and say "Those guys are just stupid bastards, 'Min." He would look at him with patient eyes and say, "You are so much better than any of them. You're so smart, brave and kind even though they are shitty to you! And you're the best friend in the whole world and I'm so proud that you are my best friend!" And every time he was just so earnest that Armin couldn't help to believe him and smile.

They had always been there for each other. The three of them had been through hell and back together and it killed them that they couldn't be there for Eren now. They wanted to pull him close and tell him that he wasn't a monster or a some military tool. They wanted to be there to tell him over and over again that it wasn't his fault and that he didn't deserve to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. He would probably never believe them, but they would have given anything to have the chance to say the words.

"We're going to be inducted into the Scouts tomorrow. The Scouts wanted Eren to fight for them. We need to convince them to help us get him back." Armin said breaking the silence.

"We will." Mikasa said locking eyes with him in a voice that was absolute.

* * *

(Note: I'm not sure how much time passed between the trial and members of the 104th becoming scouts but here it happened really quickly after the trial.)

 **Levi POV**

Levi watched as Erwin exhaled harshly in a rare moment of outward frustration. He was leaned up against one of the walls of Erwin's study with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Nothing helpful from those shitty Military Police bastards?" Levi asked not sounding the least bit surprised.

Erwin ripped the letter he was holding in half as a reply. "No of course not. They're completely rejecting our correspondence." The large blonde man leaned forward and positioned his elbows on his desk, a look of troubled though settling on his face. "I'm not sure what we can do short of breaking him out. And that is going to just cause a riot. We'll be in even a worse situation after that."

It was times like these when Levi absolutely detested being an officer of the law. "Is there no way we could break him out without it leading back to us?"

"Even if we could, the suspicion would land heavily on us. And as soon as we needed Eren's titan powers, everything would be revealed anyway." Levi knew that. Of course he knew that. The situation really was too frustrating.

Knock, knock, knock.

They were interrupted by the sound of three harsh raps on the door. Levi frowned and sent a questioning look toward Erwin as he didn't believe the commander was expecting any visitors. Erwin shook his head looking equally as confused. Levi pulled the door open and revealed two figures, one seemed to be panting slightly as if they had just run there. It was a shorter boy with a blonde bob cut and a sturdy looking girl with dark short black hair. Levi had the distinct feeling he recognized them. Right, from the trial. They must be friends of Eren Jaeger as they had seemed inconsolable as he had been lead away. Mikasa Ackermann she was top of the class, her combat skills unparalleled among her peers. Armin Arlert, he had already shown a strong strategic mind. Yes, he had heard of them.

"Commander Erwin, Captain Levi... We're sorry for the interruption. Could we have a moment of your time?" The Arlert boy was asking politely although he seemed to be still slightly winded.

Mikasa, however, interjected impatiently before either of the two superior officers were able to respond. "We're family of Eren Jaeger." Family, Levi thought, that's interesting. But he frowned nonetheless, if these kids wanted answers they were going to be disappointed.

"How can we help you Miss Ackerman, Mister Arlert?" Erwin asked cordially enough, it was only due to knowing him for years that Levi was able to detect the wariness in his voice.

"We're here to convince you that Eren shouldn't be with the Military Police and to implore you to make him part of the scouts as you originally planned during the trial." Armin said as the two of them stepped into the room. While his voice shook slightly on the last syllable, he met both Erwin and Levi's gazes and held his head high which was not missed by anyone in the room.

Erwin took a moment and then turned in his chair so he was bodily facing the newcomers. "You don't have to convince us. We still believe that Eren Jaeger is an asset to humanity and are doing all we can to get him back." The commander's voice was kind but tired.

"You're not doing enough." Mikasa stated boldly as she glared at them. Levi's eye twitched slightly in annoyance. They'd been working day and night since the trial to pull strings and explore what options they had to getting the military police to relinquish their hold on the Jaeger kid.

"Tch, we're doing what we can. We're doing more than you know, shitty brats." Levi said looking Mikasa in the eye.

To his surprise it was her that looked away first. "They're going to hurt him." She all but whispered. At those words a sharp unpleasant feeling formed in his stomach. Because there wasn't anything he could say to dispute that fact. With a glance up at Erwin he could tell that the older man was experiencing a similar feeling of unpleasantness. It was times like these that reminded him that while they certainly shouldn't be underestimated or babied, these young soldiers were just kids.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Armin asked, the desperation in his voice breaking the silence, "I might have a vague idea of how we could go about getting him back within the means of the law." Of course the kid would have realized that whatever way they got Eren back would have to be sanctioned or his friend would just remain a prisoner in a different cage.

Erwin leaned forward in interest at this revelation and Levi was sure he was remembering the reports from the other scouts of how Armin had played a strategic role in the past.

"Alright Mr. Arlert, I'm listening. Any ideas you have to contribute would be most welcome."

Armin nearly leaped forward in excitement. "Ah, right, well... I was thinking..." And he told him the rough outlines for his plan. As Levi listened he couldn't help to be mildly impressed. Maybe he and Erwin had been in this game for too long because this kid had found a different perspective and while it was rough, it was good... it was good enough to work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Trigger Warning:** There is non-descriptive non-consensual sex/rape in this chapter. If you would like to skip it, please skip Eren's POV section. There is some non consensual touching as well in the same section, but the actual rape itself is not graphic.

* * *

 **Eren's POV**

Eren startled awake at the sound of the door to his cell being opened. He blinked the sleep from his eyes as he got adjusted to the dim light. He was able to figure out his situation a lot more quickly than before as it seemed he was not drugged. It appeared that he was in a different cell, he assumed somewhere beneath the headquarters of the Military Police building. He appeared to be laying on some type of bed, although it was really uncomfortable and didn't have any sheets. He attempted to sit up but then realized he couldn't. His arms were pulled up above his head and chained together at the wrists. The chains on his wrists were then attached to the top of the bed pulled tightly enough that there was little slack. His legs were pulled about and shackled by his ankles to the corners of the bed. Eren wanted to cry out in frustration at his helpless position.

While he was unconscious it appeared that someone had bathed him and changed him into a simple button down shirt that appeared to be a couple sizes too large- It was almost as if they weren't used to keeping young boys chained to bed in their god forsaken dungeons- and a simple pair of pants that would have hung loosely from his hips had he been able to stand. He was grateful to be clean but the idea of someone bathing and changing him while he was unconscious left him feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

"I do hope you like your new home, Mr. Jaeger." Fuck, that was Nile's slimy voice. Eren nearly gagged at the way the man had said his name, as if he were caressing it. From his horizontal position on the bed he couldn't see Nile yet, but he could hear his footsteps slowly approaching. Each heavy footfall had his heart sinking just a little lower.

When the older man finally reached his bedside and towered over him, Eren could see his look of controlled eagerness, but he refused to look away and matched his gaze with a defiant one of his own.

Just seeing that stupid smirking face, the brunette felt an angry fire flame to life in his stomach. The sudden burst of anger was almost comforting, when he was so desperately far from his own comfort zone.

"Ha, yes... there it is..." Nile's voice was low and dangerous. His lips were curled up into a nasty smile as he met the intensity of Eren's glare head on. He enjoyed the rage burning behind those big green eyes. "That's right pet, get angry. That expression on you really is lovely, and it'll make breaking you all the more fun."

The boy's eyes flashed in fury as he was unable to stop himself from rising to bait. He tugged uselessly on his chains which only seemed to emphasize how helpless he was currently. The commander watched this display with unrestrained amusement. His expression hungry as his eyes raked across the struggling form before him. He reached out to run a thumb across Eren's flushed cheek. The boy's skin was just as soft as it looked.

Eren jerked away at the contact. "Don't touch me! I will fucking kill you!"

His reply came with a cruel chuckle, "Oh you silly little thing, I'm going to do a lot more to you than just touch you."

Long fingers began to fumble with the top button of his shirt. Eren jerked back instantly as he realized what the other man was doing, but with the bed to his back, there was no where to go. Eren kicked and thrashed as hard as he could given his restraints, but despite this, Nile was able to discard his clothes all too easily.

The brunette boy found himself trembling, as Nile slid his hands down the length of his body, refusing to leave a single part of him untouched. Rough hands reached around behind him to fondle his ass and he knew without looking that his captor was smiling cruelly.

Nothing could have prepared him for what came next. He hated himself and how easy it was for that bastard to take him apart. He hated himself as the sounds of his sobs filled the room and wished desperately that he could block out the sounds of the man grunting as he thrust into him mercilessly.

When it was over and Nile had left him bleeding and crying, Eren felt numb with the shock of what had just happened. He had been thrown a rag and unshackled, obviously in no state to fight back. He pulled his discarded clothes around his shaking body and used all of his effort to focus on breathing.

He was so angry and hurt. He felt disgusting and weak and just so used. He was too tired to feel the onslaught of emotions that were sending tremors throughout his body. So he curled up and cried. And cried and cried. He squeezed his eyes shut and begged to see anything but that man's horrible face.

He was too exhausted to be surprised when his mind provided that image of Levi standing in the courtroom. The captain was looking over at him and there was concern in his eyes. Those sharp grey eyes looked at him and said, 'Fight. Do not let this break you. Fight.'

He stared into those eyes and latched onto that small bit of comfort before succumbing to his exhaustion.

* * *

 **Survey Corps POV**

Having lived among the poverty stricken refugees after the wall fell, Armin was fully aware of the majority of people's sentiments towards the Military Police. They were seen as the elite few who were able to live easy, cushy lives while the rest of the population was starving and fighting to survive. Tensions were higher than ever and while many of the people in the inner walls were afraid of what the existence of someone like Eren might mean, there was a large and quickly growing sentiment among the less fortunate masses that truly saw Eren as Humanity's Last Hope. These were the people who had seen the wreckage the titans had caused and had walked among the bodies. They were the ones who had felt the waves of grief as their loved ones were slain. They had known the sheer terror of being the next in line in the titans' path of destruction and had felt the relief when Eren in titan form had sealed the wall.

When Dot Pixis had stood Eren in front of his soldiers and introduced him as the boy-titan that would lead them to victory, they had been listening. And in the aftermath of it all word had spread like wild fire of the young boy with titan powers that had stopped the titans from pouring through the hole in the wall. In a world where there were no such thing as miracles, the people knew that they had this titan child and the bravery of the Survey Corps to thank for their lives.

After the trial to decide Eren Jaeger's fate, the military had tried to be very hush hush about Eren's custody and future. But Armin had walked through the streets and heard the outraged whispers of Eren's supporters when they'd heard he was to be studied and disposed of.

Armin knew that with the current tensions between the lower class (who made up the largest section of the population) and the Military Police, the Military Police could not afford a scandal, especially one centered around Humanity's Last Hope.

That was where is plan came in. He suggested that if one of their own was to be able to infiltrate the Military Police, perhaps as far in as one of Eren's guards, and find evidence that the Military Police were abusing their power, it would become a key bargaining chip. If they were to take the evidence to Zackly, a man who saw things purely in the form of cost vs reward, they could trade Eren's custody for their silence.

Erwin had acknowledged his strategy and been impressed with its simplicity. He had been commander for too long, and had been caught up in trying to figure out what strings he'd have to pull and what favors he'd have to call in.

After a bit of deliberating, they had chosen Jean to enact the majority of the plan. He was part of the 104th and while he had butted heads with Eren every step of the way, it was unspoken that the two of them still saw each other as comrades.

Jean had stumbled in a bit confused as he had been dragged in by Hanji from the stables. He looked around and saw Erwin, Levi, Mikasa and Armin staring at him with serious eyes.

"Jean, are you willing to help us get Eren back?" Erwin asked jumping straight down to business. "The Survey Corps has acknowledged his value as an asset." His tone was warm despite his words and the meaningful looks he shot Mikasa and Armin made it obvious that the commander recognized Eren's importance as a person as well.

Jean knew that he had been at Eren's throat all throughout their trainee days. He knew now it was because they were both young and had accepted that he had been too afraid to be as passionate about anything as Eren had. In a way he had always been jealous of Eren's sense of purpose. The younger version of himself never had really been equipped to look into the eyes of someone who had lost everything and understand what he found there. He remembered Marco's lifeless eyes and felt as if he had aged ten years in just a few days.

"Yes, sir!" Jean replied without hesitation.

Erwin smiled at him kindly and a little bit apologetically for what they were about to ask him to do.

"Armin has a strong foundation of a plan to get Eren back that involves infiltrating the Military Police to find evidence that they are abusing their position. However, before this is brought before Zackly we will need more hard evidence."

Erwin stood and faced Levi, "Levi, on the night of you and one of your squad will accompany Jean who will assume the position of one of Eren's guards. Jean, no matter what you see or hear you cannot give away your cover. I have no doubt that Zackly will overlook what we had to do to get evidence if we're successful, but if we are caught mid way through then there will be severe repercussions imposed on us. Can you do that Jean?"

Jean swallowed but steeled himself. "Yes sir, I can."

Erwin nodded in approval before continuing, "Levi and his man will hide until Jean's shift is completed and as the guards are changing, Jean will indicate which one appears to have the most damning knowledge, who will then be abducted. Upon return the witness will have to be... interrogated. If we can get them to give up names, especially, we will have a much better chance of getting Eren back."

"When do we move?" Levi asked his voice betraying nothing.

"Tomorrow night. I need to pull a few strings to secure Jean's position as a guard." Erwin replied.

Jean swallowed suddenly apprehensive. Tomorrow night then.


	5. Chapter 5

**Eren's POV**

If Eren had thought that that first night here with Nile was to be the worst or the end of it, he had been in for a rude awakening.

He had been roughly dragged from his room and strapped to an examination table. He had been surrounded by scientists wearing masks and emotionless expressions. They had taken to his body with saws and scalpels, acid and flame. They muttered to each other in unattached and clinical tones as they hurt him. His blood splashed across the floor and his screams filled the room and they watched with a detached type of interest. At first he had screamed and shouted calling them names and swearing. He had spat at them and resisted, but it didn't make any difference in the end.

They had approached him with needles and he had flinched on instinct, blurry memories surfacing of his father and a forest and something important. And then they had forced the liquid into his veins and from what they said, he could tell, that was what was keeping him alive. Alive was a bit of an overstatement at that... he was kept just healthy enough that he didn't die, but he was so so weak.

Eren was not sure if days or months or years had passed. After their sessions of torture- after he had mostly healed from whatever damage had been inflicted upon his body and thorough notes had been taken, he would be dragged back and thrown unceremoniously into his cell.

There was no night or day for him anymore. There was just pain and the anticipation of it.

The heavy click of the door to his cell being opened somehow never failed to fill his body with cold terror, even though he was too weak to react.

Nile came back frequently using his body as he pleased and leaving him broken to clean up the mess. Sometimes after he was done he would let a few of his men in to have their way with him as well. They taunted him and laughed even after he was far too beaten to resist. He had thought by now he would have become numb to the pain as they handled him roughly and forced their way inside of him. But with his accelerated healing, every time hurt just like the first time.

* * *

There was a reprieve though. Looking back, maybe he would not have made it if it weren't for this.

At first Eren had though he had died and that the figure standing before him was an angel. The first time he had seen her, he had awoken to the feel of a cool rag being passed across his brow.

Eren's eyes fluttered open and he looked into the kind eyes of this stranger. She had slightly greying hair that framed a worn and tired looking face. But her smile was sad and the kindness in her eyes seemed real. It had felt like a lifetime since he had seen any form of kindness. He was almost afraid that any action he might make would send her away.

For a moment, he had thought she was his mother and that maybe it was over.

His eyes adjusted to the light and he saw that she had light brown, straggled hair, not his mothers dark smooth locks. She also looked to be significantly older than his mother as well.

She told him her name was Beth, and she continued to wipe the sweat and tears from his face with a gentleness that Eren had not been sure still existed.

His throat was sore and dry and he struggled to ask the question that was about to burst from his throat but found that the words would not be formed. But he saw that she could see the question in his eyes.

'Why?'

"Shh... child, I am not here to harm you." Beth said her eyes filled with a deep sadness that he could not understand. Who was she sad for? Why?

She moved slowly and reached for him, eyes looking all the more sad as she watched him flinch weakly with an unsurprised expression. "Come, child. I will not hurt you." She repeated calmly. Beth moved slowly to sit on his bedside and placed his head on her lap. Her long bony fingers carded softly through his hair and it had been so long since he had been touched without the intention to hurt him that he couldn't help but find comfort in this.

"I have been a caretaker here all my life. I have seen so many horrible things within these walls. I have since become immune to the horrors here. Or so I thought... When I heard that they were bringing you here, I was scared." She murmured softly looking into Eren's watery eyes. "My daughter and her husband live in Trost with my young grandson. He would be about your age... They do not live an easy life, but they have a life that is their own and for that I have always been thankful.

When I heard the news that the wall had fallen, I felt sheer terror, unable to accept that I was here and there was nothing I could do to stop my precious family from being slaughtered." Beth continued with a far away look in her eyes, "imagine my relief when I heard about Humanity's first victory and the young titan child who had sealed the wall and saved the lives of my family. That day I cried and cried and I have never been so grateful in all of my years." She turned a sad smile onto him. Eren felt like he couldn't hear the words she was saying. He heard but he did not understand. She was looking at him with such a gentle expression and he did not understand it.

"I am not the only one who has a similar story. I am not the only mother, father or child who is on your side, my boy. There are many who are indebted to you and you have garnered much support with the common folk."

"When I heard you were to come here I was scared because I knew they would do everything they could to break you. I wondered what kind of boy you would be. But as I look into your eyes right now I can see that you are such a good child. You are so brave. You have been through too much and you don't deserve any of it. You are just a boy aren't you?" Eren felt something wet hit his cheek and he realized that there were tears dripping down Beth's cheeks as she continued to stroke his hair gently.

Eren could not remember the last time someone had spoken to him in such a way. She had called him good. She had said he was brave. He didn't know about the truth to those words but she had not called him a monster. And he turned his face toward her and cried. He had cried until he didn't have any tears and still his shoulders wracked with silent sobs. She felt her hands still stroking his hair and it was just so comforting.

"I am so sorry that I cannot save you from here. But you are not alone. Know that, dear boy, you are not alone."

Eren had fallen asleep in her lap. A part of him wondered if this was another cruel trick, another dirty experiment constructed just to break him further. But he found at the moment he couldn't care. He was so tired and she had said he was not alone and for the moment that was enough.

* * *

"The bone appears to have rehealed in one hour and thirteen minutes. Ten minutes slow than the previous trial. Hmm... Commencing next trial."

Eren barely registered his own screams as pain surged through his body and the sickening sound of his forearm being broken filled the room. His vision swam and he hoped he would pass out from the pain, even though he knew they would not let him rest for long.

And like so many times that he had lay there half delirious from the pain, he heard those precious words. 'You are not alone.' He saw Beth's kind face. She had continued to visit him and hold him and be his angel after they were done with him. With hoarse whispers he had told her about Mikasa and Armin and his mother. He had told her about Shiganshina and the titans. She had listened so patiently as he had told her of his dreams to be in the Survey Corp and defeat the titans. She had smiled sadly but kindly as he told her about Captain Levi and his green eyes and his concern. She had told him about her grandson who he reminded her of and her kind daughter and her husband who was a good man. She had told him about the people who still supported him and reminded him every time that he was not alone. Though her visits were inconsistent and fewer than the visits from the scientists or Nile or his men, they kept him clinging onto his humanity like a lifeline.

When he closed his eyes to escape the pain he saw Captain Levi's face sometimes and he stood out so fiercely from the darkness. He heard Armin calling out to him happily when they were younger and heard Mikasa urging him "fight Eren fight!"

He apologized to each of them over and over again in his head. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

* * *

 **Notes** :

So I hope everyone's okay with a small OC in Beth. I wanted Eren to have someone there to be kind to him because he really needs it and also to show how outside of the Military Police, Eren actually does have a lot of supporters.


	6. Chapter 6

**Eren's POV**

"Ha, to think people were actually scared of this little slut." They were laughing at him again, because they never stopped.

"Turns out all he needed was some good cock." Another one said and was answered with chorus of laughter.

"Hey you! Newbie! Clean him up for us. He'll heal up and be just like new. I'm feeling really good tonight, like I could go for another round." Eren squeezed his eyes closed at those words and that voice. That was the voice of his personal guard, the one who guarded his cell and while he was in the experimentation room as well. He was the one who had him the most and was often the cruelest. If he had had anything on his stomach he would have thrown up at the thought of a second round. It hurt so much, why couldn't they leave him alone just once? He could hear the hiss of steam and knew that somehow his body was already healing itself. He hated his powers. They were why he was here. They were what had kept him alive this long. If not for them he would have been dead long ago and then he wouldn't have to hurt like this anymore.

Eren heard the door to his cell open and close. He heard footsteps rushing toward him and he would have been confused if he weren't so tired.

"Jaeger-Eren. Oh Eren, I'm so sorry." He was being gently lifted and dressed and it was confusing. Why would they do that if their leader had wanted a second go with him? Did that guard just say his name? He turned his head weakly and instantly he knew it had to be some weird dream.

He was looking into the teary light brown eyes of Jean Kirstein. Eren wanted to laugh. Why was he imagining Jean now? Usually he imagined Levi- Or Mikasa or Armin or Beth.

"What are you doing here Horseface?" He wheezed out.

Jean's eyes widened with shock and for some reason he appeared to be crying harder. Why was Jean crying? Eren really didn't understand. When he had remembered his friends from the 104th they had always been in happy memories to alleviate some of the darkness.

"Oh Maria... Eren what did they do to you? Eren I'm so sorry. I'll fucking kill these bastards. Eren, we're going to get you out okay? Do you understand? We're going to get you out of here. You have to hang in there okay. Just for a little while longer." Jean whispered to him quickly and urgently trying to meet Eren's unfocused gaze.

Eren wanted to laugh at this new cruelty. That his mind was supplying him with these ideas that someone was going to save him. He couldn't stop the tears of anguish that ran down his face. It was just too cruel, he didn't even care he was crying in front of Jean. Jean was crying too and Jean wasn't even really here.

"Please..." He whispered not sure what he was asking. Please stop taunting him like that. Please stop being so kind.

Jean nodded so hard it looked like it must have hurt and he pulled Eren close to him so that he could cry on his shoulder. Eren didn't understand because Jean felt so real and solid.

"I promise we will get you out of here." Jean said his voice suddenly steely with determination.

Eren just nodded hoping that if he agreed, this weird hallucination of Jean would disappear and stop taunting him with such hopeful ideas.

* * *

 _An hour earlier..._

 **Jean's POV**

Jean had thought that he would be prepared for whatever he would have to witness in order to keep his cover. He imagined that he would be seeing Eren chained down and beat up. He figured he could handle seeing his rival being taunted or being called names. Jean figured the bored guards would probably be roughing Eren up and he was sure that Eren's angry eyes and words would only cause him to get beaten worse. He figured he could handle that. He knew Eren was strong and could take a punch.

He was apprehensive but did his best to not let it show. He forced his shoulders to remain relaxed and coaxed his breathing to slow. He tried to remember what he had been like before Trost. He had wanted to join the military police after all.

He took his position as a guard with ease and did his best to pretend that he was the Jean of his trainee days. The one looked down on Eren for his irrational and hotheaded behavior. He tried to remember how to be the Jean who just wanted to easy life and to take care of himself.

The was already another guard there who sized him up as soon as he took his position. "You're the newbie then" he said and nodded to him. Jean returned the nod evenly and did his best to look as bored as him.

"They're bringing him back from the research wing. We'll have to wait for a bit after that or the freak won't have healed." Jean had no idea what that information meant, only that Eren wasn't back yet. He just prayed in his head that the idiot wouldn't blow his cover when he saw him.

Apparently Jean needn't have worried. A few minutes later two men in the guard uniform came dragging Eren down into the dungeons. Eren's eyes were closed and he was seemingly unconscious. Jean could tell from looking at his face that he was much thinner than he had been when he had last saw him, which was a bit shocking as Eren had always been on the skinny side. He looked so small bunched up between the two burly men who handled him as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. He watched wordlessly as one of the men slapped Eren a few times across the cheek until his eyelids slowly blinked open and revealed those familiar turquoise eyes.

Jean was taken aback by how much duller they looked. Where was that fire that had annoyed him so much when they had been trainees?

"Wake up, little monster!" The guard growled roughly tossed him into his cell. The corners of Jean's mouth turned downward before he could stop them at the sound of Eren's body hitting the floor and the small grunt of pain he had made.

"You know the drill, Commander Nile said we need to give him at least half an hour since there's no telling what kind of fucked up shit they could have pumped into his system and I'm not looking to contract some weird disease." The guard who had tossed Eren into his room said to the other two guards. He appeared to be in charge. Jean still had no idea what he was talking about but he noticed that the guard that had look so bored previously had perked up quite a bit.

"Oi, newbie." Jean's attention snapped toward the head guard. "You'll be sitting this one out. You've got to earn it after all. You'll be on cleanup duty unless that old hag comes by." Jean nodded carefully ensuring that his confusion did not show on his face.

Jean figured the head guard would be his best target. But he wasn't sure if he was supposed to try to talk to him for any information or not. They stood in silence periodically checking their clocks and didn't seem very forthcoming with any information.

"You alive in there, sweetie?" The head guard called out to Eren through the bars in the window of the door to his cell. His voice was mockingly sweet and Jean nearly flinched just at the tone. He was as rash and as stubborn as Eren but he wasn't an idiot. His stomach dropped as he put the slowly put the pieces together. Were they going to-

"Alright, you all know how this goes. I get him first and then you can fight over him for who goes next. If he gives you use his mouth then you don't get his ass too. And you," The guard said to them and focused on Jean who suddenly felt violently nauseous, "you can watch if you want, but you're new, so like I said, you get clean up duty. Those dumb lab rats bitch and moan if we return him covered in blood and cum. But I guess they clean him off when they're done with him too." The guard shrugged like what he was saying wasn't the most horrible thing Jean had heard in his entire life. He felt his eyes burning with tears he knew he couldn't let fall and he hated how weak he felt at his inability to do anything.

This was so much worse than anything they had imagined. The guilt bubbling inside him felt so hot and gross. They had left Eren to these disgusting monsters for two weeks. These fucking bastards had been hurting him like this for fourteen days.

He dug his fingernails into his palms so hard they drew blood as he heard those fuckers saying such disgusting things to his friend. Jean shut his eyes and used every ounce of willpower he had to keep his sword sheathed as Eren's broken screams rang echoed off the dungeon walls. And those bastards fucking laughed.

Jean had to fight for every breath as he listened as Eren's screams turned to sobs and then quieted down to whimpers as his energy left him. By the time they were done he had schooled his features to what he hoped was normalcy with a determination that he didn't know he had. Whatever happened they had to get him out. This was Eren, who was so stupidly naive and believed so hard in everyone but himself and Jean was not going to leave him here to these animals.

Of that he was damn sure.

* * *

 **Levi's POV**

Levi and Mike had hidden in alleyway not too far from the entrance to the dungeons. Though Levi would never let it show on his face, apprehension coiled itself tightly around his lungs. There was so much riding on this mission. The amount of trouble the Survey Corps would be in if something went wrong and they were discovered was tremendous. Levi had never been one for the rules but he was first and foremost a soldier. But he would be lying to himself if he were to say he regretted any of this... Since that night before the trial when Eren had proclaimed his goal to kill titans with such conviction in his eyes- there was something about that boy that kept him lingering in Levi's thoughts.

They passed the next few hours in tense silence only communicating through short glances.

Levi straightened slightly when he saw the light from the dungeons flood the street in front of the alley way and heard some shuffling of feet as Jean traded off his post. Levi watched as Jean's figure walked silently but swiftly down the alley as soon as he was sure nobody was around. He had imagined that the boy would be tense and uncomfortable after being in such a high pressure situation, but he didn't expect the almost calm fury he was greeted with.

Jean's shoulders were surprisingly relaxed but the shaking of his hands gave him away.

"Captain Levi, sir." Jean took a shuddering breath and Levi watched as emotion rapidly flashed through the other's light eyes. There was anger, sadness, disgust and then just more anger.

"The one you want is Eren's personal guard. His name is Nicolas and he gets off his shift in two hours." Jean relayed the information in a sort of speeded whisper as if he wasn't sure if he could get the words out.

When Levi nodded in affirmation and met Jean's gaze, there was a sudden burst of furious bloodlust in the younger's eyes that was so strong it startled the Captain.

"Show those worthless bastards no mercy."

Jean said softly. His voice was low and serious. At those words Levi felt as if the air around them had changed and replaced itself with a cold dread. From the way that Mike shifted next to him he knew that he could feel it as well.

"They don't deserve mercy after... after what they- what they're doing to-to Eren." Jean's voice broke as he stumbled over the words looking completely disgusted. The frightening look in his eyes was gone but Levi could tell it lurked just under the surface.

He knew better than to ask Jean what he meant when the boy looked like he was barely keeping it together. He silenced the questions that were flooding his mind. Did you see Eren? How was he? Was he hurt? - He had a job to do and that would have to wait.

But Levi understood, as he resettled in position to wait for the end of the guard's shift with a newfound sense of purpose.

He understood that no matter what, they couldn't leave Eren alone facing whatever horror it was that gave Jean that haunted expression.


	7. Chapter 7

**Levi POV**

The captive guard had been left down in one of the Survey Corps HQ's own dungeon cells. The man was heavily restrained and sedated. Mike and Oluo stood guard outside his door. The big dumb oaf of a man had been easily apprehended as he had left his post so confidently and with an inflated sense of self-worth, oblivious to his surroundings. While the guard didn't seem overly capable, Levi wasn't about to entrust him to anyone but himself or his squad, not when he might be the key to saving Eren.

Levi, Hanji, Erwin and Jean were seated in the Commander's office for a debriefing (mostly from Jean) and further instructions (mostly for Levi).

Erwin's fingers were steepled in front of him as he leaned forward with his elbows on the desk. He was looking toward Jean with an encouraging expression. The young soldier looked completely exhausted. His eyes were red and underneath them he sported large dark circles. He was much calmer than he had been in the alley, but whatever happened in the dungeon was obviously something that he didn't want to talk about.

"Okay Jean, you need to tell us what you saw so that Levi is prepared for when he interrogates the guard." Erwin said gently but his voice was still firm.

Jean exhaled and smoothed his palms down over his pants as he prepared to speak.

"When I got there, Eren wasn't in his cell yet, he was still being... experimented on I guess..." Jean steeled his voice and adopted a very business like tone as he continued. He spoke quickly just to get the words out and did not make eye contact with anyone in the room.

He told them about how they had dragged his teammate and thrown him carelessly onto the cell floor. And then he told them how the three other guards had proceeded to joke around and laugh as they forced themselves onto Eren. He told them about how they had told him to clean Eren up so that they could use him again and how confused Eren had been when he'd seen Jean standing there crying. He told them about how afterwards that horrible guard that was currently chained up in the basement, had bragged to those around him about how many times he had had Eren. He spared the commanding officers no details because they needed to know how urgent it was that they rescue his teammate. He told them everything, so that maybe he wouldn't be alone in the memories. As he told them, Jean couldn't keep the image of Eren's tired face and his hollow eyes out of his mind and it sent silent tears cascading down his cheeks.

As Jean spoke and relayed the horrible things that he had seen Levi felt as if something inside of him had broken. He felt a murderous rage building within his body and his hands were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms and blood dripped down onto his pants. In any other circumstances he would have been disgusted, but as it was he didn't even notice. Levi saw the horrified look in Erwin's eyes and the deadly anger in Hanji's as well.

He shouldn't have been here. He shouldn't have heard all of that. Because he was one quick movement away from running to the basement and killing that pathetic excuse for a human. He thought of Eren that day in the courtroom. He closed his eyes and he saw those big green eyes that were filled with determination. He heard the angry, passionate words that he had yelled to defend his sister. He remembered how that boy had yelled his accusations against powerful men who held his life in their hands because he believed so fiercely in what he was saying. The fact that those Military Police scum had hurt that boy made him want to scream.

Levi remembered the piece of shit that was in their basement. He remembered that smug expression on his face when he had been apprehended. He imagined those big, rough hands touching Eren and hurting him. He had seen awful things both underground and as a soldier and yet this filled him with hot rage like no other. He wanted to kill that man and slowly- so that he might suffer a fraction of what he had put Eren through. If Levi had not been so consumed by his bloodlust and anger he might have realized that this was a response rather out of character for him. He tried to always look at the horrible things with a sort of detached purpose and file away the horrors he encountered until he could take them out on titans.

Levi could only think of the ways in which he was going to make that bastard suffer. He tensed the muscles in his legs and was about to stand up-

"Levi" Erwin's voice brought him back and he realized where he was. Erwin's eyes were sharp and his hands were clenched into fists atop his desk. Levi could tell that he too was filled with anger and disgust.

A moment of tense silence passed as Levi forced himself to sink back into his chair.

"You know what you have to do then Levi. Hanji." Erwin said his voice low. If Levi were a lesser man he might have even shivered at the coldness in Erwin's voice. Many knew Erwin as the charismatic and kind Commander of the Survey Corps and he was, but he could not be commander without a vicious side as well. "See that he stays alive." The words that he left unspoken were clear as day, make sure he suffers.

Levi glanced over at the other squad leader and saw that Hanji's eyes were narrowed and serious. She looked so different from her normal silly excitement. She looked like she was out for blood.

Good, they were on the same page.

* * *

Levi thought that he and Hanji definitely made a great team sometimes. Of course he called her shitty glasses and she was constantly annoying him, but she was one of his closest friends. He'd never admit it aloud of course, it was enough that they both knew it. She was incredibly loyal, fiercely protective of those she cared about and not afraid to get her hands dirty.

He knew that with his intimidating force and presence and Hanji's meticulous skill with a scalpel that it wouldn't take too long to get their prisoner to start singing like a bird. And it hadn't really taken much in the end.

The despicable man was the definition of an abuser. He had preyed on Eren who was vulnerable and in no position to fight back, but when he actually met opposition in the form of Captain Levi and Squad Leader Hanji, he didn't stand a chance.

When the two of them had walked down to the dungeon it appeared that the unruly guard was already awake and struggling angrily at his chains. He had been shouting unintelligibly what were obviously threats and insults at Mike and Uluo who paid him no mind.

At first he had maintained his air of superiority and bravado. He had laughed when he'd seen Levi and Hanji walk in. He was obviously an idiot as if he had seen the looks on their faces he would have started talking instead of mocking them.

He had laughed at them and the Survey Corps but when he started in on Eren...

"I'm here because of that monster aren't I?" He had said, still with that insufferable smirk on his face, "I didn't know the Scouts were so desperate for used goods."

"He's such a young, pretty little thing though." He kept digging where he shouldn't have "Never in my life thought I'd get to have something as pretty as 'im. But I have you know. We all have. So many times." He smiled cruelly at the disgusted looks on Levi and Hanji's faces.

Levi had punched him square in the face with no warning. The man was easily taller and wider than the Captain, but his head snapped back with such force that the chair he was shackled to as well fell backwards onto the floor. Levi reached forward and with one hand dragged their prisoner back up, chair and all, by the hair.

"Give us names." Levi growled out. His voice was deadly and dripping with promise. "We already know yours, Nicolas Callahan. Give us the others."

Nicolas' eyes flashed with anger at being punched after he recovered from the hit. "You fucking shit! Nile Dok will hear about this! I ain't telling you shit."

Levi sighed. "Alright, Nic, we can be here all night and tomorrow too. You can tell us what we want to know, or I can let Hanji cut you up a little and see if that makes you a bit more willing to talk." He looked over meaningfully toward Hanji who was unpacking a bag filled with different tools. Most of them were sharp or pointy and looked like they could do a lot of damage to a human body.

The guard's eyes widened slightly in fear but his pride wouldn't let him take the easy way out.

"Fuck. You." He spat out in defiance.

"I was actually kind of hoping you'd say that. Hanji, if you would, let me get us started." Levi held out his hand and in it Hanji placed a long sharp knife. And in one quick motion, he had cut off the guard's left pinky finger. The man screamed and howled in pain and shock.

"Hmm you're bleeding a lot. And while it's not too much now, we don't want the fun to end too soon right?" Hanji handed him a piece of metal that she had been heating up over a torch she had found on the wall. He didn't even need to look at her to see what she was handing him. They really did make a great team sometimes.

Levi pressed the heated metal against the man's wound to cauterize it and prevent him from bleeding out. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and his screams increased as did the pain.

Levi said nothing for several minutes. He stared at the man with his normal, bored expression. Nicolas panting heavily and looked like he was ready to rip through his chains in anger.

"Fuck you! Why do you want to know about that stupid little slut anyway?" The guard ground out with angry narrowed eyes. The pain radiating from his hand making him vicious. "Like I said he's damaged goods. Anything you can do to me, they've already done to him tenfold and then sent his cute little ass back to us to be passed around as we please. You wouldn't be getting back a titan, you'd just getting back a used whore." He smiled wickedly and flicked his gaze between Levi and Hanji, "unless that's what you want him for anyway... then I'm sure we could arrange something."

As that awful man spoke, Levi had to use every bit of self control he had not to reach forward and rip out his disgusting tongue so that he would stop saying such despicable things about Eren. He could tell by the aborted movement just beside him that Hanji was thinking the same thing. He locked eyes with her and saw that she was absolutely furious.

"Alright then. If that's how it's going to be..." Something cold slammed shut behind Levi's eyes, "Hanji, I'll let you have him for a bit then." Levi stood up and brushed off his pants handing the knife and metal piece back to Hanji.

Hanji was smiling in a way that would have truly terrified a lesser man as she walked past him.

"It would be my pleasure, Levi." She said in an almost sadistic voice. "This piece of shit needs to understand that in the Survey Corp we take care of our own." And it was true, they all had seen Eren as a member of the Survey Corp since the night Levi and Erwin had visited him in his cell. Hanji had been looking forward to getting to know the sweet boy that she had led from his cell to the courtroom. And then those military police bastards had stolen him away.

It was a couple hours later when finally they had several other names. Including a first hand witness of the crimes committed by Nile Dok against Eren Jaeger.

Nicolas Callahan was covered in his own blood at the end. His throat was sore from screaming and half of his teeth had been removed. He was missing his right hand and half of the fingers on his left. He was covered in his own piss and vomit and had since passed out from the pain. His body was littered with gashes that had been cauterized to prevent him from dying. And in what Levi considered a personal stroke of genius, he was sure to be feeling quite a bit different between the legs.

They had made sure that he would never be able to rape anyone ever again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eren POV**

The door to his cell opened and Eren flinched automatically.

"Shh... it's just me, my child." The relief that Eren felt upon hearing Beth's kind voice was so sudden and immense, he nearly felt light headed from it. He couldn't help the tears that burned at the corners of his eyes. The slightest bit of kindness in the face of such cruelty was overwhelming. The contrast was as sharp as a slap but he was so grateful for Beth nonetheless. She had provided him with a powerful, albeit, short and inconstant reprieve and for that he knew that he was forever in her debt.

Eren was unsure why but it seemed that the last few visits from the guards and to the labs were particularly brutal and he desperately hoped that it wasn't becoming the new normal. The scientists had been more rapid and extreme with their experimentation. He shuddered at the memory of his last visit where they had cut off both his left hand and his right foot at the same time. He had screamed and screamed and begged for unconsciousness to take him, yet they had mercilessly kept him awake through it all. They merely ignored him and wrote all the more frantically in their notebooks. Eren felt his breathing increase in panic as he remembered that visit and he forced himself to focus on the feel of Beth's gentle fingers carding through his hair. He let her soft touches ground him as his breathing evened.

Eren felt so much clearer and more lucid when he was with Beth. She made him feel human. Her kindness and warmth kept him tied to himself and humanity. Some nights she had visited and his eyes had been wide and still seeing the horrors he had faced. It was those nights when he could still feel the scalpels cutting him to his bone. When he could still feel greedy hands groping at every part of him... could still feel the way the ripped him apart in his most intimate places. The nights that they played with him before taking him and forced unwanted pleasure onto his body... when he had cried and begged and they'd laughed and forced him to come and he hated himself all that much more...

Beth would somehow pull him back from whatever dark place was threatening to take him. She would clean the filth and disgusting fluids from his skin and make him feel a little cleaner. She would hold him gently and stroke his hair and tell him that it wasn't his fault, that he didn't deserve any of this. She would say that he was so strong and good. Eren knew that none of it was true but the fact that she was saying it made him feel bettere somehow. She would press her lips in a ghost of a kiss to his forehead and the gesture was so kind he wished with his whole heart that he could be deserving of it. He would cry and cry and cry and she would pull him close and whisper his name in his ear (Eren, Eren, Eren, sweet child) over and over again so that he wouldn't forget who he was.

So right now as he sat beside Beth and she held his hand and stroked his hair, Eren felt as if he had taken a breath of fresh air. His mind was less fuzzy as his brain realized that around Beth he didn't have to put up so many mental defenses as she wouldn't hurt him. He took advantage of that to really consider the most recent events.

The most obvious difference was that his personal guard- the cruel shadow that had always seemed to be present- had been replaced by another guard. This guard, while he did not spare Eren from using his body, he was not as needlessly cruel as his predecessor had been.

They passed the time as they normally did. He asked Beth to tell him the same stories he'd already heard about her daughter and her family. And as always she asked him to tell her about his most precious people. And as always he obliged. There was something about telling Beth about them that comforted him, assured him that they were real and what he felt for them was real and possible. He told Beth about how he wished she could meet Armin and Mikasa and how they would adore her because he adored her. He told her again of Captain Levi and of his childish dreams to serve under him as a member of the Survey Corps.

He told of her of his friends from the 104th.

He told her about the time he had made Sasha a fruit cobbler, he had always been a mama's boy and she taught him well. She had gotten scolded again by Sadis and he had wanted to cheer her up. He had had to make Mikasa one as well so she didn't get jealous. He almost smiled at the memory of how Sasha's eyes had nearly filled with tears as he gave her the dessert and how she had clung to him and jokingly begged him to become her wife to which Mikasa had protested vehemently.

He told her about Connie and how they'd developed the weird tradition of cutting their hair together. How it had started with Eren being around when Connie was perfecting his trademark close cut and was having trouble reaching the part in the back of his head, and Eren had finished it off for him. After that they'd always sought each other out when their hair was getting too long until it became a thing.

He told her about sweet Krista and Ymir who were always together and would sometimes play cards with him when they had had down time. He remembered that one time when Ymir had winked at him over her cards and looked toward Krista playfully, a gesture that still left Eren a little bit in awe. The two of them had ganged up on Krista to get her out so that Ymir could tease her and see her blushing. Krista had glared playfully at them while Ymir overwhelmed her with hugs.

He told her about Jean as well. He told her that he had always joked and said that Jean looked like a horse and how they had this unspoken agreement of friendship. How their fighting had somehow transformed to something of a greeting and that they would never have said anything actually hurtful to each other now. Thinking of Jean sobered Eren slightly.

In a slightly troubled voice, Eren recounted how he had imagined Jean coming to him and the tears on his face as he had promised Eren they were coming for him. Eren remembered how badly that dream or hallucination had hurt. How the hopefulness of it all had left him feeling empty. How real it had felt had been disturbing as well.

When Eren looked back up into Beth's eyes she had such a soft expression on her face. There was something in her eyes that he hadn't seen before he'd told her about his dream about Jean.

"Have hope, my boy." She said softly and something fluttered in Eren's stomach.

With something akin to horrified amazement he realized what that feeling inside of him was-

What that look in Beth's eyes was-

It was hope.

* * *

The door burst open suddenly and Nile Dok and three of his men rushed into the room. The black haired man looked a mess, with disheveled hair and wide frantic eyes.

"Get out you stupid bitch!" He snarled and in a split second he had crossed the room and was wrenching Beth to her feet. Beth gasped out in pain as he grabbed her and threw her toward the guards who shoved her roughly onto the floor just outside the door. The sound of her body hitting the cold stone floor filled Eren with a terror that he had not felt in a while.

"No! Don't fucking touch her!" Eren forced himself to sit up and a shadow of his old self flickered angrily behind his eyes.

Nile turned toward him and Eren could see the rage on the other man's face and in the rigid way he held himself.

He stalked closer to his captive and backhanded him so hard that the boy, in his weakened state, tumbled from the bed onto the floor.

He had barely hit the ground before Eren felt himself being jerked upward by the thin fabric of the rags that made up his shirt. He was then slammed against the wall with enough force to knock the breath from his lungs. Eren reached up weakly to grab at Nile's strong wrist that was fisted into his shirt. Nile forced a knee between Eren's trembling legs and pushed himself closer into his space.

"Hmmm... you're getting cocky all of a sudden? You think that just because Erwin and his little gang got a little overconfident and are trying to play hero that you can start talking back?" Eren flinched at Nile's tone and the heat of his foul breath. He had exactly no idea what the crazed man was raving about but that didn't make it any less scary.

"Don't forget your fucking place, pet. Every part of you belongs to me." Nile reached around the trapped boy to grab roughly at his ass to emphasize his point. The way Eren whimpered softly but made no move against him gave Nile enough of a power trip to calm his frantic rage a little.

"Those fucking idiots think they can take you from here? The Survey Corps think they're better than us?! Well they're fucking wrong. We're moving you tonight where they'll never find you. And then I'm going to fucking remind you who you belong to and that this is all you're good for." With that Nile grabbed Eren through the front of his pants palming him roughly. The boy could only wince at the treatment.

Nile's eyes narrowed cruelly as he continued to grope him, "And for your previous display of disobedience, I'm going to kill that crazy old bitch and I'm going to make you watch."

Eren's eyes widened in terror and he began to struggle against his captor. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grasped at Nile's hold, but he had just been too long without adequate nourishment and his body was much too weak to actually fight back.

"No, no, no. Please don't! Don't hurt Beth. Please!" Eren cried weakly, "Please, I'll do anything! I-I'll be good, I promise!" As the boy pleaded desperately Nile's wicked smile only grew. It had been a while since he had heard Eren beg and it was like music to his ears.

"You'll do anything?" Nile asked mockingly. He watched with growing satisfaction as Eren stilled and averted his gaze but nodded jerkily.

"Yes Sir." He whispered softly.

"Well that's just too bad, isn't it? Because I can do whatever I want to you anyway. And right now I want to teach you a lesson." Nile laughed cruelly again and motioned to one of his men to retrieve Beth from outside.

Fear engulfed Eren's heart. No. He couldn't lose Beth. She was the only thing keeping him alive right now. She had shown him light in a place that he thought there was only darkness. She took care of him even though he was a monster and she didn't have to. She was going to die and it was going to be his fault. It was going to be all his fault. He cried openly and resumed his struggles though they were much weaker than before as he had no energy.

All he could do hear in his head were those words that had haunted him for years.

"You couldn't save her because you were weak."

It couldn't be happening again. It was all his fault. He was so sorry. He was so so sorry.

"What is taking you fools so long?" Nile called out looking over his shoulder. That's when he noticed his men were no longer there though the door to the cell was open.

"What-"

A fist collided with Nile's jaw so hard his head was sent snapping to the right. The man instantly let go of Eren and crumpled to his knees on the floor.

Eren's mind was reeling in shock and fear. Was this a dream? Where was Beth? Was Beth okay?

There was Captain Levi standing over Nile looking outraged. This has to be a dream. This isn't real is it? Eren's mind couldn't process the idea of Levi Ackermann... his hero standing in front of him in this horrible place.

Eren could only clutch at the wall as he watched Levi grab Nile by the front of his shirt. "You. Disgusting. Sack. Of. Shit!" Levi punctuated each word with a strong punch to Nile's face, the other man long since having fallen unconscious.

When Eren felt Levi turn his gaze toward him, his breath caught in his throat. His grey eyes were sharp and... concerned. He shuddered under the full attention of Humanity's Strongest and stumbled forward as his knees gave out. He was so confused. What was happening? Why?

This couldn't be real. Where is Beth? Was she okay?

He could feel the darkness eating at the corners of his eyes as he fought for consciousness. He felt completely disconnected from everything as the confusion was just too great. He didn't make any attempt at all to stop himself from falling.

In fact, he didn't even realize that he didn't land.


	9. Chapter 9

**Levi's POV**

They had silently knocked the guards unconscious and were checking to make sure the rest of the area was clear. Hanji led a group of scouts to incapacitate anyone nearby and to locate and retrieve the Military Police's research they'd gathered from Eren. Levi and his team were standing guard around the dungeon.

After confirmation that they were clear, Levi had entered Eren's cell and instantly his eyes were drawn to Eren who was being pinned against the wall by Nile. Levi could see the terror and the pain in Eren's big green eyes and his anger flamed to life at the man who had put that look there. Levi's eyes then traveled down to where Nile had slipped his hand down the captive boy's pants and was roughly groping him against his will.

At that sight Levi had seen red and without thinking he had punched Nile as hard as he could. He had hit him over and over again and he, without a doubt, wanted to kill this man. More than that, he wanted to make this man suffer... to feel even the fraction of the pain he had put this boy through. He wanted to punish him for extinguishing that fire that had burned so brightly in that boy. He wanted to end him... and he might have, but that was when he heard Eren's shackles scrapping against the wall as he struggled to find purchase on the stone.

The mere thought of the boy somehow calmed him which was incredible in itself. When Levi was in such a rage, usually there was absolutely nothing that could calm him down. He looked into those wide, emerald eyes and exhaled sharply as the red left his vision just as suddenly as it had come.

Levi rushed forward to catch Eren as he fell and unlocked his shackles with the keys he had swiped off of one of the guards.

After removing his restraints he gently lifted Eren into his arms. One of his strong arms supporting the boy's shoulder and the other under his knees. Levi frowned as he realized that the bundle in his arms was much too thin and light. Was there any way in which this poor boy hadn't been severely mistreated?

Surprisingly enough though, despite his incredibly weakened state, Eren appeared to still be awake though he was shaking with exertion as he tried to speak.

"Beth..." he whispered, "Where is Beth?"

Levi remembered the elderly woman who they had found lying outside of Eren's cell. She had been in obvious pain herself but her face had brightened upon recognizing Levi. "Please, save him." She had begged as he helped her off the floor and towards Petra who he knew would care for her. "Please save Eren." She said as she allowed herself to be guided out. Levi felt nailed to the floor by the look in her eyes. He could see that this woman was someone who cared deeply for Eren and how desperately she wanted the boy to be saved. "I will, ma'am." Levi assured her swallowing thickly at the look of peace that swept across her features.

"Beth is fine. She is fine, Eren." Levi replied in the most soothing voice he could. He watched in amazement as for a moment pure and utter relief spread across the boy's pretty face. Levi could feel the change in the body in his arms as Eren relaxed and allowed unconsciousness to take hold.

It was in that moment that Levi truly though about how amazing Eren was. Any fully grown man or woman who had been through a fraction of what Eren had endured would surely have completely lost themselves. And yet, this boy had been struggling to stay conscious to hear about Beth... more concerned for her condition than for himself...

Eren was somehow still here fighting and somehow still loving and Levi was absolutely stunned by his strength.

* * *

The ride back would take them at least through the night. The retrieval mission had gone pretty much without a hitch, but Levi didn't really expect that there would be much retaliation from the Military Police anyway... not for lack of trying, just for lack of competency.

Levi rode in the carriage with Beth, Petra, Hanji and Eren. Eren was curled up on a cot with his head in Beth's lap as she stroked his hair soothingly.

Beth, they had come to learn was a maid and caretaker around the Military Police HQ and had been tasked with cleaning and caring for Eren. She, like everyone else who lived within the walls, had heard of the child who could transform into a titan. She had told them about how Eren's actions had saved her family that lived in Trost. She was such a strong and caring woman, but she couldn't stop the tears from pouring out of her eyes when she told them about how painful it had been to see how often and how badly they had hurt Eren. But she knew that she couldn't escape with him by herself as he was constantly guarded and that if she had spoken out about it they would have removed her as his caretaker and put someone who wouldn't have cared for him in her place.

It was obvious that she absolutely adored him and the others in the carriage could see that the feeling was mutual as Eren seemed to fold inward toward Beth and search for comfort in her presence even in his unconscious state.

"He is the sweetest, strongest, bravest boy I've ever met... probably that ever was." Beth had said with pure adoration in her eyes and Levi believed every word she said. "He told me all about his family and his friends from his squad. He told me about his dreams to be in the Survey Corps and serve under Captain Levi Ackerman." Here, Beth smiled, though her eyes were still watery and sad, and looked Levi in the eye. "After all of the things he endured..." Her voice broke here, "He would still ask me about my daughter and her family in Trost. When most men are put into situations where they are suffering, they begin to hate and become envious of those who are not in as much pain as they are. But Eren was never like that. He told me hearing about my daughter's family, hearing about happier people in less horrible places made him feel more connected to humanity when he was starting to lose himself in their cruelty. He didn't deserve any of this." Beth cried softly and ran her hands through Eren's hair.

Levi and the others in the carriage were silent as they let her words soak in. There wasn't anything to say to that. Petra was crying softly from Beth's stories and wondered what the boy would be like when he woke up.

"Beth, we had to take you from the Military Police HQ because it wouldn't be safe for you after we retrieved Eren." Levi began once he had found his voice again, "When we get back to the Survey Corps you're welcome to go wherever you please, to Trost to your family if you'd like, but we'd like to ask if you'd be willing to stay with us and be there for Eren as he recovers?"

At this, Beth actually smiled and it met her eyes.

"Of course I'm staying with Eren. You may be Humanity's Strongest, but I would fight you right here in this carriage if you tried to keep me away from that boy."

Levi returned her smile with a small one of his own.

That was exactly what he'd been hoping to hear and it calmed his anxieties just the slightest.


End file.
